5th wheeler bumper rack

[todd_j]

Does anyone have a design, idea or pictures of a way to use a cargo rack on the back of a Sierra 5th wheeler. So I learned the hard way and used a hitch mount on the bumper for the cargo rack. Yep that doesn't work at all. I know I need to connect to the frame of camper but not sure of the best route for a mount. Any ideas???

Thanks

[mtofell1]

I was talking to the RV tech at my local dealer about this exact thing. He said maybe a couple bikes on a light cargo rack but generators and firewood were too much. More than once he had seen the weight hanging off the back tweak the frame just enough to cause issues with the rear slide. I never even would have thought about that. When I asked him about it is first question was if I have a rear slide.

The weakness of the actual bumper is an entirely other issue. It pretty much got me off the idea of hanging much of anything off the bumper.

[rhagfo]

laknox wrote:

todd j wrote:
Does anyone have any experience with these? Would this alone support the bumper enough to use a receiver hitch rack carrying a generator?

http://mount-n-lock.com/mnl-cargo-products/4square-safetystruts-prevent-bumper-failure

This seems almost to good to be true. 2 brackets and that's it???

Seriously, don't band-aid this. Get a good shop to cut the old bumper off and have them weld on a heavier tube. My guy found some tube that was the same OD as the OEM bumper and was able to reinstall the decorative cover over the new tube. As I said before, the tube is heavier and the sewer tube will no longer fit in it. Problem is that the OEM bumper is likely to flex enough over time to fail. IIRC, it cost me < $200 for the swap.

Lyle

Link

X2
This is a band-aid at best,still see issues with it installed.
The sewer hose can then go in a much better for it 5" Vinyl fence post carrier.

[BigPoncho]

I agree with LAknox.... go to welding shop and have on put on. I had my bumper cut off... had a 5" square thick wall tube welded on with extra bracing tying it into the frame. Had the tire rack welded on and then had a 2" hitch received welded to the top of the tube (more clearance). I just drilled holes in the endo of the tubes and put hitch pins in to retain sewer hose. The bumper was so stout that when I put the frame lift kit on my camper, I jacked up the whole trailer using a 3 ton jack located in the middle of the camper. I don't regret what I did 1 bit. I use a thule 2 bike rack in my hitch for a Specialized hybrid and a Kona Stinky... the rack and bikes are close to 100 lbs (my Kona by itself is 42 lbs.) of course what you do have to worry about is overloading the rear and significantly changing your pin/tongue weight. I won't have time to load pictures until next week but would be happy if you are still interested

[laknox]

todd j wrote:
Does anyone have any experience with these? Would this alone support the bumper enough to use a receiver hitch rack carrying a generator?

http://mount-n-lock.com/mnl-cargo-products/4square-safetystruts-prevent-bumper-failure

This seems almost to good to be true. 2 brackets and that's it???

Seriously, don't band-aid this. Get a good shop to cut the old bumper off and have them weld on a heavier tube. My guy found some tube that was the same OD as the OEM bumper and was able to reinstall the decorative cover over the new tube. As I said before, the tube is heavier and the sewer tube will no longer fit in it. Problem is that the OEM bumper is likely to flex enough over time to fail. IIRC, it cost me < $200 for the swap.

Lyle

[todd_j]

Does anyone have any experience with these? Would this alone support the bumper enough to use a receiver hitch rack carrying a generator?

http://mount-n-lock.com/mnl-cargo-products/4square-safetystruts-prevent-bumper-failure

This seems almost to good to be true. 2 brackets and that's it???

[Slownsy]

back there jumps op and down a lot.

[trustymopars]

The ones I saw at the RV show mounted to the frame rails by bolts "pinching" the brackets on each side of the rail. JT.

[Cdash]

trustymopars wrote:
I've been looking at this one - http://store.lci1.com/flip-down-bike-rack Looks like good support without stressing the bumper. JT.

Any idea how that gets mounted? I was planning on building something, but that seems pretty reasonable if it's solid. Google isn't turning up much for me.

[trustymopars]

I've been looking at this one - http://store.lci1.com/flip-down-bike-rack Looks like good support without stressing the bumper. JT.

[laknox]

MountainAirMan wrote:

todd j wrote:
With this set-up will it support the rack with a 200# generator on it?

Bare in mind how much more load will be stressing that bumper / hitch with every bump in the road. :h

I've often wondered what it would take to build a cargo rack with a parallel linkage and small shocks/struts to absorb a bit of this.

Lyle

[MountainAirMan]

todd j wrote:
With this set-up will it support the rack with a 200# generator on it?

Bare in mind how much more load will be stressing that bumper / hitch with every bump in the road. :h

[laknox]

todd j wrote:
With this set-up will it support the rack with a 200# generator on it?

If my welder says mine will support 300 lbs without an issue, I'd say "yes". As I said earlier, my bumper was replaced with a heavier tube (stinky hose will no longer fit) and the receiver welded to the bottom. Get an aluminum rack to save a little weight, too. You might also want to, somehow, secure each end to the bumper to keep it from rocking too much. Either that, or replace the bumper tube and weld on TWO receivers! 🙂

Lyle

[todd_j]

With this set-up will it support the rack with a 200# generator on it?

[C_B_]

My unit does not have a rear bumper.
You should be able to keep your bumper and have the hitch under it.

C.B.